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SF Attorney Denies Defrauding Elderly Woman out of $157,000

San Francisco attorney Drexel Bradshaw built his career in the courtroom, but he now finds himself at the center of his own trial that threatens to leave him barred from practicing law in California. The State Bar, which investigates complaints concerning attorneys, charged Bradshaw with five counts of misconduct, alleging he “engaged in a scheme to defraud” an elderly client, Ora Gosey, out of more than $157,000. Investigative reporter Bigad Shaban reports on a story that first aired Feb. 7, 2018. (Published Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018)

San Francisco attorney Drexel Bradshaw built his career in the courtroom,
but he now finds himself at the center of his own trial that threatens to
leave him barred from practicing law in California.

The State Bar, which
investigates complaints concerning attorneys, charged Bradshaw with five
counts of misconduct, alleging he “engaged in a scheme to defraud” an
elderly client, Ora Gosey, out of more than $157,000.

“They’ve made an allegation -- it’s false,” said Bradshaw, who spoke
exclusively to the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit. “My client’s money was
used by and large for 24-hour home care.”

Bradshaw said he had never collected any money from Gosey’s trust.

The State Bar’s case against Bradshaw is expected to wrap up by
mid-February. The judge in the case will then make a recommendation that
would need to be approved by the California Supreme Court. Since this is
not a criminal trial, the worst discipline Bradshaw faces is losing his
license to practice law.

However, the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit has
learned Bradshaw, his former handyman and Bay Construction may now all be
the subject of a criminal investigation, led by the Contractors State
License Board. The government agency would neither confirm nor deny the
criminal probe.

More than a decade ago, Gosey hired Bradshaw to help her create a trust
account. She never married and did not have any children. In an unusual
move, Gosey listed Bradshaw as one of the possible people to manage her
money and home should anything happen to her. When she fell and injured
herself four years ago, a court appointed Bradshaw in charge of her estate.

The California State Bar filed disciplinary charges against San Francisco Attorney, Drexel Bradshaw, saying he "engaged in a sheme to defraud" an elderly client out of more than $157,000. Bradshaw denies the allegations and says he never took a dime from the client's trust.
Photo credit: NBC Bay Area

BAY CONSTRUCTION

The State Bar accuses Bradshaw of funneling money from that trust into a
company he helped create, Bay Construction. Bradshaw hired Bay Construction
to do work on the elderly woman’s home while she was suffering from
dementia.

“I don’t think that’s a conflict of interest,” Bradshaw said. “One of the
repairs that was made was a flood, an emergency flood that happened on a
weekend. All that work was done just to maintain the safety of the home.”

Bradshaw said he put the work out to bid but couldn’t find a single
contractor willing to do the job.

He says he’s never had any financial interest in Bay Construction, nor does
he own any part of the company.

Bradshaw’s signature, however, appears on documents filed with the
Secretary of State’s Office to form Bay Construction. According to
Bradshaw, he was only acting in the capacity as an attorney for the person
who actually owns the company, a handyman named Juan Gonzalez, who had
previously done repair work at Bradshaw’s own home.

“He seemed to need a leg up,” Bradshaw said. “So I agreed to loan him a
thousand dollars and help him get his contractor’s license.”

Bradshaw let his former handyman register the company to the same high-rise
address as Bradshaw’s law firm.

“I offered office space and allowed my receptionist to answer a phone for
Bay Construction. The contractor would have meetings here in my conference
room if it was not being used, and his mail showed up here. That was it,”
Bradshaw said. “Bay Construction is and has always been owned 100 percent
by Juan Gonzalez.”

But last month, in State Bar Court, Gonzalez testified he was under the
impression he owned 49 percent of the company, while Bradshaw owned the
other 51 percent. Bradshaw’s son, Colin Bradshaw, also worked for the
business. Court documents show Bradshaw, his wife, his son, and his
receptionist all had company credit cards in their names for Bay
Construction.

Bradshaw said the arrangement helped the construction company get a 5 percent discount at Lowe’s. In court documents, Bradshaw said it was a
“favor” to help his former handyman “succeed in his business.”

CIVIL LAWSUIT

“It doesn’t make sense to me,” said Jeremiah Raxter, an attorney
representing Delores Coleman, a relative of Gosey. “It’s unusual to
have a credit card in the name of a construction company that you have no
interest in.”

Last June, Gosey passed away at 90 years old. Coleman stands to inherit
money from that trust and is now suing to have Bradshaw stripped of all
responsibility regarding the trust. The judge in that case has yet to weigh
in on whether or not there was any wrongdoing, but just last month, he did
remove Bradshaw as the trustee while the State Bar pursues their own
separate investigation into Bradshaw and possible fraud.

“Normally, the State Bar is this entity that is out there but doesn’t get
involved,” Raxter said. “The fact that they filed charges against an
attorney I think is telling.”

Jeremiah Raxter is an attorney for one of Ora Gosey's relatives, who has now filed suit to have Bradshaw removed from the Gosey trust.
Photo credit: NBC Bay Area

A previous NBC Bay Area investigation revealed the State Bar had a history
of attempting to reduce its backlog of complaints against attorneys by
simply dismissing more cases and settling others with written reprimands
that stay hidden in a lawyer’s discipline file. The findings were revealed
as part of a report released by the California State Auditor.

“If there are areas where we need to keep doing better, we are committed to
continuing to do the best job we can to serve Californians because that’s
what we’re here for,” said Rebecca Farmer, a spokesperson for the State Bar of California.

PREVIOUS STATE BAR CHARGES

The State Bar first attempted to take action against Bradshaw about a
decade ago, accusing him of “corruption, dishonesty, and gross negligence.” The six counts of misconduct allege Bradshaw charged "grossly exaggerated fees" that "shook the conscience." The State Bar settled the case privately, allowing Bradshaw to continue
practicing law with “no public record of discipline.”

The State Bar, however, recently issued a “consumer alert” on its website
for Bradshaw, warning that he is accused of “major misappropriation of
client funds.”

The agency, once again, has its sights set on Bradshaw.

“Most people don’t see it, but I have a heart of gold and done my best to
take care of Ora,” he said. “She was special to us. We celebrated every
birthday with her, every holiday. We were the only ones at her funeral -- my
wife and children.”

Ora Gosey is buried in an unmarked grave at a cemetery in Lafayette.
Photo credit: NBC Bay Area

BURIED IN AN UNMARKED GRAVE

Gosey’s friends and relatives said if Bradshaw planned a funeral, he didn’t
tell them about it. NBC Bay Area asked Bradshaw for details about where the
funeral was held and where Gosey is now buried, but he wouldn’t comment.

A copy of her death certificate reveals Gosey is buried at a cemetery in
Lafayette, nearly a one-hour drive from her home in San Francisco. The staff at the cemetery told NBC Bay Area no one ever purchased a tombstone
for Gosey, so Bradshaw’s former client now rests in an unmarked grave.